Former first lady Michelle Obama recently shared in a late-night talk show interview that she was not invited to the White House for the hanging of her official portrait, which she took as a veiled swipe at former President Donald Trump. During her interview with Jimmy Fallon, Obama revealed that she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, were never invited back to the White House for the portrait hanging after they left office, as is the tradition.
According to Fox News, Obama went on to explain that it was a beautiful experience having her portrait hung in the White House, and it’s a tradition that is expected to be upheld by the next president. She expressed disappointment that she and her husband were not given the opportunity to witness their portrait hanging and visit the White House once again.
It wasn’t until President Joe Biden hosted the Obamas in 2022 to honor them for their portrait unveiling that Michelle Obama had the chance to visit the White House after five years. The Obamas’ visit to the White House was a significant moment for them, as they were able to experience a long-overdue reunion with their former home.
Michelle Obama has been an outspoken critic of Donald Trump, and this latest revelation has been interpreted as a subtle dig at him. In her 2022 memoir, “The Light We Carry,” Obama wrote about feeling shaken and hurt by Trump’s victory in the 2016 election. She expressed her disappointment with his use of ethnic slurs, his refusal to condemn white supremacists, and his lack of support for racial justice.
“It shook me profoundly to hear the man who replaced my husband as president openly and unapologetically using ethnic slurs, making selfishness and hate somehow acceptable, refusing to condemn white supremacists or to support people demonstrating for racial justice,” she wrote in the book, released six years after Trump replaced her husband, Barack Obama, as president.
Despite the disappointment of not being invited back to the White House for the portrait hanging, Michelle Obama has continued to be a positive role model and a voice for change in the United States. Her work as an advocate for healthy living and education has been widely recognized, and she has become a beloved figure in American culture. Her experience of not being invited back to the White House for her portrait hanging serves as a reminder that even the most prominent figures in our society face moments of disappointment and exclusion.
